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A presentation I did in April 2012 for the Preparing Future Physicists group at CU-Boulder. Discusses my career in science writing and education, and effective communication strategies.
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The Art of Science Communication
S p e a k i n g o f P h y s i c s . . .
Stephanie Chasteenhttp://sciencegeekgirl.com
Images: Tom Tomorrow, Amy Snyder
Audio: David Kestenbaum & Marvin Marshak: Neutrinos
My points for today
Communication is necessary in today’s careers
We can’t treat our audience like they’re stupid (but we can’t treat them like they’re
physicists either)
The data do not speak for themselves.
But first...
who the heck am I anyway?
Finding the warm spot
Postdoc in physics education research
PhD in Physics
freelance writingNPR intern
My non-linear path
BA in Social Psychology
independent business
Peace Corps
Postdoc at science museumteacher education
Postdoc in physics education research
PhD in Physics
freelance writingNPR intern
My non-linear path
BA in Social Psychology
PC picturePeace Corps
Postdoc at science museumteacher education
independent business
science& pedigree
communication& writing
teacher prep
education
ed. research
Peace Corps
The career messages...
• There are great jobs in education, outreach, and writing and communication is univerally important.
• Specialization can be great; but diversification can be great too. We need synthesizers in this multidisciplinary world.
• You aren’t the prisoner of initial steps towards a career choice. You don’t always need to know where you’re going; find the warm spot
my blog has a recent post about my non-linear career pathhttp://sciencegeekgirl.com
We need to communicate with many audiences
• Our students
• Other academics (across disciplines)
• The public
• The media
Image from: shirray-langley.abbozzogallery.com/
the media is powerful
Image by Tomasz Sienicki
Changing view of science communication
public
let’s educate that ignorant public
scientific literacy (1960-1980’s)
media & scientists
the deficit model
“The deficit model assumes that the public are empty vessels waiting to be filled with useful information upon which they will rationally act.”
Nerlich, Koteyko, and Brown, “Theory and language of climate change communication,” Wiley Interdisciplinary reviews, 1, 2010.
science
The current model
public
science & society (present)
we have the attitude problem
media & scientists
image victorvoigt
How do you get your message across?
What are some techniques that have worked for you when...
★Talking to the public?
★Teaching your students?
Communication tips
3 key
points
build from
familiar
no jargon
keep it simple
know your audience
metaphors, analogy,
examples
make it relevant
tell a story
Don’t be so cerebral
find the story
Audio: Christopher Joyce and William Eberhard, A Spider’s WebImage: Luc Viatour, www.lucnix.be
Audio: David Kestenbaum & Tony Leggett: Superconductivity
find the story
Audio: Christopher Joyce and William Eberhard, A Spider’s WebImage: Luc Viatour, www.lucnix.be
Audio: David Kestenbaum & Tony Leggett: Superconductivity
How do you tell your story?
background
supporting details (data)
results & conclusions
scientist model
“the facts speak for themselves”
the deficit model does not work!
journalist model
bottom line
key details (data)
back-ground
What’s your elevator speech?
No more than 3 main points.
What’s your bottom line?
Consider: What is the main message, or “elevator speech” from:
• Your work, or
• A class period you recently attended
* it’s more complicated than that
“The reason you can't walk through a wall is that your atoms and the atoms in the wall interact with each other. They
speak the same language”*
There’s more to life than accuracy
accuracy understandability & interest
perception
expert knowledgewhat makes experts smart?
Expert knowledge is organized around big ideas.
Most people don’t have that framework.
So start with the familiar, and build a map.
ground the explanation in the familiar
start here...walls & people...
and of course, avoid jargon
the tough stuff.neutrinos
and build up to...atoms & electric charge
why should people care?
Image: http://www.scottberkun.com/essays/essay29.htm
Audio: David Kestenbaum & John Morgan: Poincare Conjecture
image from http://www.seniorsworldchronicle.com/2009/08/usa-professors-john-baldwin-68-and.html
there is a time for telling
but not too soon!
So, it is important to communicate well.But we don’t just
need to repeat our message louder
1. We need to decide what our messages are.
2. We need to make our messages accessible.
3. We need to motivate... THEN educate
4. This is important - and possible - for all levels of physics (and in our classes!)
http://communicatingscience.aaas.org/
http://www.dontbesuchascientist.com/ http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/scientist-media-guide.html
More resources
How does this work? Maybe some physicist can tell
us, using simple language and familiar metaphors?
Yeah, by telling us a concise interesting and entertaining story full of
substance!
Thank you!Notes and presentation will be posted at http://blog.sciencegeekgirl.com
Podcast @ http://perusersguide.org/podcasts